The event at the Parliament House saw the EU Ambassador Gabriele Visentin presenting the statement by the HRVP and the Council of Europe on the European and World Day against the Death Penalty.

‘Our message is clear: the death penalty is an inhuman, degrading punishment, representing the ultimate denial of human dignity. It does not make societies safer. It makes miscarriages of justice irreversible’, said Ambassador Visentin.

Last year, the number of countries conducting executions hit a record low. However, despite this movement toward abolition, the death penalty remains in several countries, including those in the Asia-Pacific region.

‘As Attorney-General of Australia, I reaffirm Australia’s opposition to the death penalty, which is longstanding and bipartisan. We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and for all people. Like all of your countries, Australia is focused on efforts to achieve global abolition. We advocate in multilateral, regional, and bilateral settings, and in our advocacy we work closely with like-minded partners’, said the Hon Mark Drefyus KC.

‘Thank you to the European Union and the Member States of European Union, which are incredibly important voices internationally on the principles and issues as the one we mark today’, said Foreign Minister the Hon Penny Wong.

The EU and Australia stand united in firm opposition to the death penalty and continue their efforts to foster an open and democratic debate towards its full abolition in all parts of the world.